Everlong
by Til Ro
Summary: Maxine Everly was the adopted sister of Lori, whom she lost contact with aged 14 when their parents split. Now aged 26, she finds her sister's boyfriend Rick stumbling out of King County hospital and aids him on his trip to Atlanta. But then all seems to change from a curse to a blessing when she meets a kindred soul in the ragtag survivor group. (From season 1, episode 1) Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Okay guys so welcome to my newest fic! This is a TWD Daryl/OC fic with a Rick/OC friendship in it :3 I really hope you all like it and don't forget to review and follow ;)**

* * *

"Fuck!" Maxine Everly yelled as the fifteenth fridge she had checked today was barren. She forgone eating yesterday and it was finally starting to catch up with her. She supposed it was her "Good Samaritan" nature. After all, she didn't have to help that guy Morgan and his kid... what was his name? Oh yeah, Duane. She didn't have to help them and give them the last of her supplies, but then again... why not? It pays to be nice. You may need a favor from someone later after all. Payback. Kings County was a small town. There never appeared to be much going on there from her perspective before this whole shit-storm went down, so why Max visited now she had no clue. Nostalgia maybe? She knew Lori used to live here. Maybe it was just some pathetic attempt at trying to get back her old life; like there was some chance that maybe she'd walk down the street and up would pop Lori from a little house round the corner. Maybe she would be married? Have a kid or two? Max could imagine that: Lori having a little tug-munch hanging off her sleeve and a nice husband spoiling the little brat. The thought was nice.

A face vaguely flicked through her mind... she could remember Lori having a boyfriend... Rick Grimes. He was a nice guy, and Max got along with him well. But then again, that was when Lori was 19. That was the last time she saw her adopted sister. She was 14 at the time, when Lori's mom and dad split. Lori went with her mother, Max with her father. She was 26 now. What did it matter though? Everyone was dead anyway... or un-dead in this case. Looking around this house made her sad really. To think that someone once lived here, had their whole lives revolving around one place, maybe even children, and now she was scavenging for food in it because everyone was rotting and out eating human flesh? Ew. Sighing, slammed the fridge door shut and wiped a hand through her semi-greasy brunette hair. She hadn't showered in a week: Water was scarce. She was angry; she was sweaty; she was dirty but most importantly, she was alive. "I won't be for much longer if I don't find food." She thought to herself. It was time to move on.

Her hefty biker boots clunked against the floorboards of the abandoned suburban dream as she shut the front door behind her. Reaching round to her backpack, she brought out a can of red Michigan grade spray paint. She sprayed a large red 'X' on the front door. It was empty. She surveyed the landscape in front of her: a desolate scene. Perfect white houses with smashed out windows and broken down doors were set in rows down the street. The odd dead body was scattered around. A month ago that would have seemed foreign to Max, her only being a pre-school teacher. Granted, she had gone hunting on the weekends and gutted the odd deer with her dad, but the carnage that this fucking apocalypse had caused was... incredible. In terms of survival, chances were low and risks were high. Max carried round a battalions worth of weapons to... maximize her chances. Her main choice of weapon was her crowbar, sharpened at one end for extra skull stabbing ease. She had affectionately labeled it "Brass": Her dad used to say she was bold as brass. Max also held two hunting blades that smacked against her thighs in their holsters when she walked... again, those were her dads. But her favorite weapon? Her crossbow.

She kept it slung across her back at all times and only used it for emergencies. Only three arrows rested on her quiver, each engraved by her father for her. She couldn't afford to lose them. Like her appearance, Max was a little rough around the edges, mainly in clothing. Lets just say that most people would avoid someone who wore skin-tight black leggings and a murky green plaid shirt over a simple white (Now brown due to muck) wife-beater vest. Her thick biker boots and tattoos often scared people away, but she loved them anyway. Once anyone got past that however, they could see that in fact she was actually quite pretty. Emerald green eyes peered out from between row upon row of thick, dark lashes. Slightly too plump lips parted to view rows of straight pearly white teeth.

Maxine stomped down the house's steps, discarding her now empty spray paint can. As always, she kept on walking. Not before long she had rounded the corner to the Kings County hospital. Man this place gave her the creeps. It wasn't even worth checking out to be honest, who knew what kinda crap or walkers could be in there? She kept on walking. But then... she didn't. A man. A human, living man stumbled out from the back hospital doors and into her path. She stopped. "Hey... you okay buddy? You've not been bitten right?" She asked hesitantly in a low voice, desperate not to attract attention from any... undesirables. The man walked stiffly, as though he hadn't in a long time. The man turned and she stopped short. His Her bottom lip started to tremble as the man spoke. "Little Maxine?" That single word shook her. She knew this man. She knew him well. He had barely changed from when she saw him last "Rick? Rick Grimes?" Shock coursed through her as he nodded.

She cocked a hip. "Shit. Wow. I thought everyone I knew was dead." She sighed, a slight smile breaking out across her face. It soon faded when Rick appeared confused. "What? What's going on Max?" She sighed... "Rick how long have you been in the hospital?" He shook his head. He didn't know. "Well what date was it when you went in?" She asked. "February 31st, 2010." He responded with conviction. She inhaled sharply. "Shit..." She muttered as Rick started towards her. "Max, what's going on? Why did you ask me that? What happened here?!" She started to back away slightly so he halted in his advance. "Rick, the date today is April 30th, 2010." She forced out. Rick looked astounded. He shook his head. "What? No, you're wrong." She reached out a hand and laid it gently on his arm. "Rick, I'm not... A lot of bad stuff has happened in two months... really, really bad. Why were you in the hospital?" He muttered something that sounded vaguely similar to "Gunshot" and "Coma" so I nodded along to what he was muttering. Poor motherfucking bastard. "A-are you okay Rick?" Max stammered.

He turned round with a wild-eyed look. "H-Have you seen Lori?" He asked quietly. "Lori? Why? Not for 8 years." She responded, and he shook his head, running a hand through his greasy hair. He looked up at me with a cheeky grin, a glint in his eye. "Because I married her." he replied earnestly. Maxine Everly then smiled like a motherfucker and couldn't help but to launch at him with a hug. "Well then hey there brother!" She giggled and he chuckled. "So you haven't seen her then?" He asked releasing me. Max shook my head and looked downwards in sadness. "No Rick. I'm sorry." His head cast downwards and a lone drop of what Max assumed to be a tear hit the pavement. His head shot up and a determined look took dominance over his face. He set off walking down the road. "Rick? Rick! Where are you going?!" Max cried, and took off following after the lonely male.

He could walk pretty fast for a man with no food or water in his system. He didn't respond so she ran faster to catch up "Richard James Grimes you stop right now and tell me where the fuck you are going! This world isn't safe anymore! The dead roam the streets and the living kill each other! So please, before you get me, or anyone else hurt, you tell me where you are going right now or so help me I will put you down right now!" Maxine yelled, an immense amount of dread settling in her stomach as she realized the... type of attention it could attract. He halted immediately and turned to face her, a hard look on his visage. He squared his shoulders and replied in a defeated voice: "I'm going home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! So chapter two here after a long time. I'm so sorry about that, I'm in the middle of final exams (GCSE's to us Brits) ;) and It has been hell! :( **

**So yeah, I really hope you enjoy this chapter, oh and I've missed a lot of stuff out about the whole series of events with Morgan, just so that I could get to the events in Atlanta and the whole thing with the other survivors! :***

**Luv ya all! **

* * *

"Rick now hold up, the earth ain't what it used to be. The streets are dangerous, you can't make yourself seen! Hold up Rick! Hey! Hold up!" Maxine Hissed, her southern twang appearing again. He rounded on her. "Oh yeah, like they weren't dangerous before? I was a cop Maxine, I know how to do in dangerous situations!" Maxine shook her head. She'd had enough of dealing with this stubborn bastard already. Then again, that was how she remembered him to be. Always hard headed. Sure, he was a good man, but still. He was a hard ass.

The two walked in silence, fortunately not coming across any walkers. Maxine hated silence. It was stifling, almost as stifling as the midday sun, and the smell drifting from the rotting piles of walkers back at the hospital. "So..." Maxine huffed, trekking up the pavement overgrown with weeds. "Married?" She slyly grinned. He grinned sideways at her, and glared up at the midday sun. "Yeah," He chuckled. "And a kid." He tacked onto the end. Maxine gaped. "Shut the fuck up man. No way! Fuck yeah I'm an aunty!" She bounced up and down with a new found energy, giggling to herself. "Yeah Max, you're an aunty. His name is Carl. He's 7 this year." Rick professed. Maxine squealed quietly again to herself. Rick chuckled under his breath at her reaction. "Oh mah lord, is he a cutie?" She pried, wincing when she discovered she sounded like old Mrs. Creble who used to live in the house across the road from her. She had to kill Mrs Creble herself. "Heck yeah." Rick sighed sadly. Maxine placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to console Rick. She had never been very good at sad, negative emotions and all that crap.

"Lets find 'em." She stated. He nodded once. They set off until Rick came to a halt in front of a perfect white picket house. One with one of Maxine's red 'X's on it. "Wait, you live here?" She exclaimed. Rick nodded once. "Shit..." She started. "Rick... I been here already, lookin' for food? It's empty. Ever'one's gone." Rick ignored her. He charged into the desolate, empty house, flying round it looking for her sister and nephew. "_Carl! Lori!_" his agonised screams sounded throughout the empty home, reverberating and bouncing off the walls. He doubled over in agony. His fists pounded roughly on the hardwood floors, and Max could see the tears dripping onto the floor. "R-rick?" Maxine spoke tentatively. "Rick we gotta go." She sighed, coming to wrap her arms around his shoulders in a vain attempt to pull the distraught man from the ground. "C'mon Rick. C'mon now, we'll find 'em." He looked up at me, eyes bloodshot and glistening with tears. Blue met green. All she could see in his eyes was desperation and a little bit of determination. He nodded once. She drew the man outside and placed him down onto the rough slate garden steps leading up to his once home.

Off in the distance, something caught Rick's eye. "Hey!" He yelled. Oh shit. He hadn't seen a walker yet. "Rick shut up." She ground out harshly. He ignored her. She drew out Brass and started towards the shell of a man. He gnashed his lipless teeth at her and stretched out his arms as she approached him. One quick jab to the head and he was down. "Maxine! What- what the fuck did you... Oh my God! What the fuck did you just do!" Rick yelled at her as she strolled back towards him once again. Suddenly rick was back down on the ground. A black man stood behind him. "Shit... Morgan, you didn't havta fuckin' knock the poor guy out! He just woke up from a fuckin' coma!" she screamed at him. Morgan shushed her and told her to help Rick to where the pair had stayed last night.

The house, like all others nowadays, was desolate, with scraps of furniture and the dregs of an old life left behind. After patching Rick up, and Morgan tying him to the bed (which Maxine insisted was entirely unnecessary, but the man had a strong will) the pair holed up in the beat up house until darkness hit. Duane and Max played cards for a few hours, and much to Maxine's chagrin, the kid was better than her. Morgan had found some more food, half of which he gave to Max for her and Rick. He insisted that the pair couldn't stay with him and Duane, and that once he was better, the pair had to leave. Safety in numbers wasn't applicable any more, it only drew unwanted attention from walkers. Max agreed. She didn't think it was necessary for him to state that judging by Rick's determined nature.

The trio heard a groaning from the next room and figured Rick was awake. Morgan holstered his gun, at which Max made a face. He simply scowled back at her. "Hey Rick? You okay?" she asked him gently, placing a hand on his arm. "Y-youkledim." Is what it sounded like. Fear laced Rick's eyes. "Naw Rick, I didn't kill him, he was dead to start with. That was a walker." Maxine explained. A look of recognition crossed his face. Morgan nudged Rick's shirt aside to see his bandages throughout the in law's interactions. "How'd you get injured?!" Morgan suddenly yelled at Rick. Alarm shot through Max's face. "You hurt? How?" she asked gently, Rick barely able to hear her over Morgan's yelling. "G-Gunshot." Rick stammered. Everyone in the room visibly relaxed, Rick especially as Max untied his constraints. Rick muttered a thank you to her, so she smiled in response. "Well Morgan, now that's cleared up, I reckon it's 'bout time for Rick to have some of that soup you cooked up earlier, hmm?" Max glared at Morgan. He merely nodded and went off to retrieve a bowl for the starving, helpless man. He ushered Duane from the outskirts of the room simultaneously.

"Max? Th-that man, the one you took out. Walker? I don't understand." It was whilst Rick was eating, and Maxine was cuddled up on the edge of his bed that she gave him the full uncensored account of what he had missed over the past few months. He blanched at parts of it, got angry at others, and at some of the events of her personal tale which caused her to choke up a little, reached out and took her seemingly tiny hand in his large one. She would smile gratefully at him when he did this, examining the pity in his eyes aimed at her.

At the end of the story it was declared by Morgan that her, Rick and Duane should get some sleep, and that he should take the first watch. No-one protested. Rick sat back in his bed, and raised an eyebrow questioningly at the exhausted Maxine taking up residence in a pile of blankets on the floor. "'M fine Rick. You need all the space you can get, you're hurt." She responded. "'Sides. I'm comfy here, it's what I been doing the past 2 months anyway."

The next morning after a dramatic turn of events with Morgan, the pair decided to set off for Atlanta. They said their tearful goodbyes, thanking Morgan and Duane for what they had done for them. Rick's old police cruiser was found and re-used once more as the Sheriff of King County was on the move once again. With the windows down and the radio loosely buzzing in the background, Max felt something she hadn't felt in a long time: Hope.


	3. Chapter 3

Maxine sighed both with exhaustion and boredom. They hadn't stopped all night. Her and Rick had been on the road a while now, but had stopped once again to find gas. They were running in short supply when Max had pointed out that she did pass a gas station on the way into King's county not far from where they were. She was waiting out by the car. That was until she heard a dull clunk not too far away from herself. "Rick?" She called out. No answer. She gazed round and saw Rick scouring the inside of the store for food, his sheriff's hat bobbing up and down through the shelves and fridges. God only knows why he chose to keep that awful uniform. Sentiment probably. She drew Brass out silently and stalked round cars and carcasses to investigate the source of the noise. Rationalising to herself that it could have simply been an animal was pointless nowadays, because each time you think that, the walker that made the noise gets closer and closer. Weaving in and out of cars, she gently called Rick's name again to summon him over, a bit louder than last time. He saw her, and she beckoned him over, pulling brass in front of her to signal potential impending conflict. He nodded and came out to greet her. "What is it?" He asked in a low voice.

"I dunno." She responded. "I heard somethin' coming from those cars over there, somethin' moved. There was a sound but I didn't wanna go it alone just in case there was more than one." whilst explaining herself, the pair moved in and out of cars separately until Rick came to a grassy embankment of the motorway. He whistled lowly to her. She came running, although she refused to this day to accept that she was like a lap dog in this respect. As they rounded the corner, she suddenly halted, as did Rick.

A small child had their back to them. Ratty blonde hair sat messily upon her head. She held a lone teddy bear, stained and messy. "Hey, sweetheart? You alright?" Max called out. "Little Girl?" Rick called out. At the noised, the little girl cocked her head and started to turn, twitching. As she turned Rick and Maxine managed to spot the gauged away flesh on her arm, and Max sighed. "Rick, she's already gone." She sighed gently as the little girl kept turning slowly. Rick nodded gently. "I know." he sighed, and raised his gun. A single shot rang out as the little girl started to run towards us. "I'm so sorry." he spoke gently. At the sight of the young life wasted, lying broken on the cold hard floor, Max couldn't help but shed a small tear for her. She wandered forwards, broken inside. The little girl's once dead already eyes were lying wide open, emotionless. She tried to close the girls eyes, but was met with disgust when the girl's flesh simply tore from bone and came away with her hand. She swore violently and ran to wipe her hands, cursing all the way. She shook her hands vivaciously in the air and wiped them on her trousers to remove any remaining flesh. Tears were streaming down her face at this point. She took brass in her hand and started to stab out and smash all of the surrounding windows.

Her fit was interrupted when Rick threw his arms around her to restrain her, and she struggled against him. Eventually she slumped to her knees, bringing Rick down to the ground with her. He was still holding her. She slumped her head onto his shoulder and sobbed some more. Over the past few days the pair had become close. She loved him like a brother. Rick shushed her gently and cooed to her whilst stroking her hair to calm her down. "S'alright Max. I know." He kept repeating, his own voice sounding strained and hoarse. Max settled down, her moment of weakness over. "Thanks Rick." She muttered gently, and unwound herself from his arms. He took her hand and the gas they had stolen and meandered back to the beat up police cruiser.

"You get food?" She asked gently after being on the road for a while again. The AM radio crackled in the background. Rick was listening out for signals. He gestured to the back seat in response, upon which Max saw an abundance of junk food. She cried out with delight upon seeing the Knick Knacks on the back seat in scampi and lemon flavour. She yanked them open and animatedly sniffed the bag with glee. Humming contentedly, she crammed a handful into her mouth. She held the bag out to Rick, who had been chuckling at her childish reaction. "Want some?" she managed to spit out past the crisps in her mouth. Rick nodded and took a handful, placing them in his lap to pick at. The radio crackled some more. "So what d'you thing Atlanta will be like?" Rick hummed for a while in contemplation before sighing and wiping his hand down his face. "Honestly Max? I got no idea. Either ruins or surviving. I'm hoping the latter." Max nodded pensively. Max was eager for the silence to end. She hated silences. The sunrise glared at her from the windscreen so she pulled the shade down. "So tell me 'bout Lori, and little Carl. I... I haven't seen Lori in years. So long. Did she ever mention me?" Max gibbered out. Rick just chuckled.

"She mentioned you all the time. Wouldn't stop talking about you in some cases. She missed you. A lot. She told Carl about you. He wanted to meet you so much. Said he wanted to know Aunt Maxie." Maxine welled and chuckled sadly up as Rick said this. "And as for Lori, she's great. She's gorgeous. So kind. She knew how to deal with everything. She's a great mom to Carl too. He's my boy. I... He..." Rick sighed and trailed off into silence. Maxine nodded.

"Rick, I can't imagine the pain you're goin' through. I can't. B- but I'm here for you, and we will find them. I didn't ever think I had a family. I don't got kids, I don't have a boyfriend or husband. All I ever had was Lori and my dad. And now my daddy's gone. But now I got you too. You and Carl and Lori. My sister, my brother in law, and my nephew. And don't think I'm goin' all mushy on you!" She smiled with tears in her eyes. It seemed all she had done recently was cry. Rick opened his mouth to say something equally as mushy but was halted with the car slowing in speed. Rick cursed lowly. "No!" He cried out. They were out of gas.

Maxine and Rick stumbled out of the car with their supplies: The weapons and Maxine's coveted junk food. Maxine scanned the surrounding area. "Hey Rick? You ever rode a horse?" She cocked an eyebrow and gestured to the two horses in the paddock by the roadside. The horses conveniently both had reins, but no saddle, leaving Max to believe the previous owner had died. She approached the horses tentatively at Rick's enthusiastic nodding. The horses, obviously wary of her being one of the undead, shied away at first, but upon her gentle coaxing both came to her. Her and Rick attached the supplies to the horses and off they went back down the highway. "I think I'll name her bluebell." Rick joked. Maxine giggled and stroked the neck of her own.

"Hmmmm... Mine kinda looks like a Flapjack. Flapjack it is!" She chuckled. The two shared a moment of childish glee.

They reached Atlanta at midday. The city appeared dead as the two rode in on the horses. Scraps of flesh and rotting paper flew through the streets at the light breeze and Max looked to Rick. She shook her head at him, as an anguished look crossed his face. A groaning alerted the pair. As they rounded the corner, they noticed the street was littered with walkers. Hoards of them were everywhere, and Maxine and Rick were fresh meat. They all rounded towards the pair and chased them with an agonising slowness. Rick and Max dismounted the horses and sent them away from the walkers as a distraction. "RIP Flapjack." Max muttered sadly. They were soon swarmed with walkers. With various jabs and slashed of brass, and gunshots of Rick, the two fought their way through the crowd. Max jabbed brass into a particularly fat walkers brain as she noticed the swarm growing "There's too many!" Max screamed as they were backed up to a tank. "C'mon!" Rick cried and grabbed her hand, yanking her up on top of the tank. The pair crawled inside and slammed the lid shut, Rick abandoning the weapons outside as he did. Max squealed with disgust as she landed on a dead body. The two were breathing heavily. Panic started to set in with both of them as she clung to Rick.

Suddenly there was a crackle. "Hello? Yeah, you two in the tank? How's it going in there?" That wasn't her voice. Or Ricks. It was the walkie talkie.


End file.
